Newbie questions...

[Latino210]

Hi, people! I just started playing with the map editor, I want to make a big cathedral map based on the old cathedrals of Europe. Anyways, some dumb questions:

Why I cannot save? I am following the tutorial.
What must I do with the files in the "data" directory? Should I unpack them? Should I unpack and delete the compressed files? Unpacking the files made my UFO game very slow...
I d'like to make a map with a big central part (the cathedral) that will stay fixed, and with a variable surrounding. Is that possible?
I d'like to use a picture of a fresco taken from Wikipedia as a texture on the internal wall of the cathedral. Is this legal?
Another, simpler idea is a war memorial. Do you think it will be useful/appropriate?

Thanks!
 

[H-Hour]

Why I cannot save? I am following the tutorial.

Not sure. Please explain in more detail.

What must I do with the files in the "data" directory? Should I unpack them? Should I unpack and delete the compressed files? Unpacking the files made my UFO game very slow...

You shouldn't need to do anything. The raw map files are not in there if you want to look at existing maps.

I d'like to make a map with a big central part (the cathedral) that will stay fixed, and with a variable surrounding. Is that possible?

Yep, you can read up on our random map parts and random map assembly (RMA).

I d'like to use a picture of a fresco taken from Wikipedia as a texture on the internal wall of the cathedral. Is this legal?

Probably not. The license must be compatible. Usually this is GPL2 or later, CC-by-SA (commercial!!), public domain. Give me a link to the image and I'll have a look.

Another, simpler idea is a war memorial. Do you think it will be useful/appropriate?

Sure. We're pretty open on map submissions. We have a wide range of maps that are included. One thing to keep in mind is that the game is supposed to take place in 2080s. A cathedral might still be around. I'm sure war memorials would still be around. But the more you can do to make it appear a little bit in the future the better.

You can also join our IRC channel if you have any questions. Often there is someone hanging around there that can help.

[Latino210]

Thanks for the answers!

Not sure. Please explain in more detail.

I follow the tutorial until I have the shack with the garden, the end of the second lesson. I save the map, but I cannot find any map later in the map directory. I find the "autosave" map, however.

The cathedral is a long term project, I need more experience with the editor before. Right now I am modifying a city map to make a dark and dangerous inner city slum. I'd love to include crazy gangers defending their turf, style Xcom-Apocalypse! Too bad that I cannot tell a line of code from a wheelbarrow...


Some other questions:

How do I add corpses (humans and aliens) to the map? I tried adding the civilians model, although they all look stupid. Any hint on a bloody texture?
What's the best texture for a burned wall/ pillar?

[H-Hour]

I'm not sure I can really help with the save problem. You're making sure you know the name of the file and where you're saving it, so you can find it later? I'm not sure if UFORadiant automatically saves to the game's map folder, but you should be able to see where when you are saving it.

I think it's possible to add a model and then reference a particular animation (the death animation), but I'm not sure it will be appropriate from a gameplay perspective. In our game, part of the mission is how many alien corpses the player collects and how many civilians they save. Putting extra corpses on the map that aren't part of the mission could confuse the player.

We have loads of textures. It's impossible for me to say which one is best for your needs.

[Latino210]

Ok, problem solved itself. I can save maps that I modified, not maps I started from scratch. I remember reading that a map must have more than X objects or it will not be saved, but I cannot find it anymore.

I think that a street littered with corpses will add to the atmosphere of the game, especially if there are no living civilians in the map. I don't think that players take count of how many civilians they save, especially when those idiots walk straight into the line of fire. What do you mean with add a model and then reference a particular animation? Can I add a civilian spawn point and make him/her spawn already dead? It would be good!

Forgive me for this, but sometimes I think that the game could benefit from a darker atmosphere/graphics. I am working towards a "slum/drug den" RMA map, I think it would add to the atmosphere of the game.

By the way, I found this: http://www.texturemate.com/ and there are some wonderful free textures. May I use them?

[H-Hour]

I don't think that players take count of how many civilians they save, especially when those idiots walk straight into the line of fire.

They should. The number of civilians killed/saved effects nation happiness.

I don't think any discussion has been had amongst the developers about corpses in maps, but I can say that I would be very opposed to this. You are welcome to make your map how you like, but decisions like these may effect whether or not it gets included in future versions of the game.

What do you mean with add a model and then reference a particular animation?

I'm not sure. You can take a look at the +farm map. One of the tiles has a cow that is animated and you can see how this was done. I think you have to reference one of the dead animations.

Can I add a civilian spawn point and make him/her spawn already dead?

No.

I am working towards a "slum/drug den" RMA map

The game takes place across the whole world, which means we have a lot of flexibility in what kind of locations can be useful.

By the way, I found this: http://www.texturemate.com/ and there are some wonderful free textures. May I use them?

The website says they are released under creative commons and can be used for commercial purposes, so they are compatible with our licensing. Please keep track of which textures come from there so that we can attribute credit properly.